Dr. Blaylock explains how excitotoxins work.

"The studies showing how excitotoxins work have greatly increased our understanding, not only of brain function, but also of the very basis of the degenerative brain disease process itself. In this discussion you must keep in mind that the excitotoxins added to food are the exact same ones that produce experimental brain damage in animals. And the glutamate in our discussion is the same substance and active ingredient found in MSG. The neurotoxin aspartate is a major component in the artificial sweetener aspartame (actually a mixture of two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartate, and methanol or wood alcohol)."

He says further: "Both glutamate and aspartame can cause neurons to become extremely excited and, if given in large enough doses, they can cause these cells to degenerate and die."

"..But of primary concern is the effect of these powerful brain cell stimulants have on the developing brain of the infant and child and the later development in the adult of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's dementia, Huntington's disease and ALS. The brain not only utilizes the excitatory amino acids as normal neurotransmitters, but there exists a delicate balance of excitatory and inhibitory chemicals in the brain. When the balance is upset, serious disorders of the nervous system can result."

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